The present application is directed to a device for positioning a patient and, more particularly, a device for positioning a patient during surgical procedures performed in positions such as Trendelenburg or flexed positions.
Gynecologic, urologic, colorectal, robotic, and other general surgical procedures often require a patient to be secured in a Trendelenburg position (that is, supine with feet approximately 15-30 degrees higher than head), a steep Trendelenburg position (supine with feet over about 30 degrees higher than head), or a flexed positioned (supine with hips flexed and legs spread apart). Furthermore, robotic surgical procedures require that the patient be precisely positioned relative to robotic arms and remain immobilized in the precise position throughout the procedure.
Foam pads, vacuum actuated positioning aids, and/or fabric wraps are typically used to position and immobilize patients during the above-described procedures. For example, foam pads are coupled to an operating table and contact the patient's shoulders when the patient is in the Trendelenburg position, therefore preventing the patient from sliding off the operating table. Velcro straps are also secured over the patient in order to help immobilize the patient. However, the single contact point between the foam pads and the patient's shoulders causes the patient's shoulders to receive a large amount of pressure in a concentrated area, increasing the risk for pressure-related injuries if the patient is positioned for a prolonged period of time.
Vacuum actuated positioning aids, often referred to as bean bag positioners, are bags filled with plastic pellets or microbeads. In an unevacuated state, the bag is flexible and can be formed around the patient to envelope the patient's shoulders and arms. Once the bag is positioned around the patient, the bag is evacuated using a vacuum source, forcing the microbeads together to form a solid, immobile bag molded around the patient. The bag can then contact foam pads when the patient is situated in the Trendelenburg position, allowing pressure to be distributed across a large surface area of the bag rather than on a concentrated point on the patient's shoulders. However, in addition to the time required to fill up and evacuate the bag for immobilizing or releasing a patient, the bag severely inhibits access to the patient's neck and arms. Access to the patient's arms may be required for additional intra-venous lines or peripheral nerve stimulators, while access to the patient's neck may be required for CPR in an emergency situation. Thus, during an emergency, a surgeon would have to wait for the bag to be refilled so that the surgeon could move the bag to access the patient's neck.
Fabric wraps consist of multiple fabric flaps that are wrapped over a patient's body and secured, for example, by Velcro® in order to immobilize the patient. These fabric wraps do not reduce pressure points at the patient's shoulders when positioned in Trendelenburg or steep Trendelenburg positions. In addition, the fabric wraps inhibit access to the patient's arms and chest cavity. A surgeon must separate one or more flaps to access sections of the patient's body, thus reducing the immobilizing effect of the device.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a device that facilitates fast and easy securing of a patient in a Trendelenburg, steep Trendelenburg, or flexed position and/or other positions and that allows easy access to a patient's arms and/or neck.